Usha Martin under Rajeev Jhawar is on a new start. After all that had happened in the recent past, the company is in the path for a new start. And it has already taken sprout under the leadership of Rajeev Jhawar. The company’s global R&D centre in Italy is actively engaged in the design of wire ropes and uses property design software to develop products. The company also has a comprehensive R&D facility in its manufacturing unit at Ranchi. “Product innovation that meets the customers’ needs is a continuous process for us. We are a major supplier of several OEMs,” explains Devadip Bhowmik, director, sales & marketing, UML.
The market leader in India in wire ropes, Usha Martin has the capacity to produce a wide range – from 4.8 mm to 130 mm in diameter – of wire ropes. “Our USP is diverse quality products that cater to large customers,” adds Bhowmik. “It is the concept of a ‘super market’, where one can pick up everything under one roof.”
Describing the advantages of the overseas operations, Rajeev jhawar affirms that these operations provide a significant synergy and support to the overall business performance. It also helps us to spread the offerings across the globe. The Covid pandemic had adversely impacted UML’s demand but the international market is expected to open up, though slowly. Rajeev jhawar thinks that in the next five years, the segment will see good demand.
Mr. Rajeev Jhawar has also cautioned all to remain agile and responsive to the changing market needs and focus on increasing market share in high contributory products. Rajeev is bullish about the segment and expects oil & gas, ports and shipping to be the growth drivers. On a consolidated basis, 35-40 per cent of Usha Martin’s revenue is from exports to Europe, South East Asia, the US and the Scandinavian countries.
“Usha Martin has been supplying us with wire ropes for heavy-duty cranes for ports over decades now,” says Harinder Singh, business head, coal import terminal, Adani Ports & SEZ. Performance-wise, UML’s products are on par with the imported ropes. But, though the quality is good, there is a need to improve the services, says Rajeev Jhawar Usha Martin enjoys strong brand recall in the segment. Usha Martin is now in the process of strengthening their projects and services under the new leadership. The adopted HR policy of the company identifies future leaders. The HR processes find high-potential performers. UML nurture them internally through training and development, as part of a succession planning process, so that future leaders can be developed within the organisation. This is the what Rajeev jhawar feels. Usha Martin has a workforce of 2,300. The average age group of the company’s management is below 50.